Whoa, look out. Catfish alert!
In the beginning, online dating seemed like a good idea. A guy could show his romantic interest in a girl without risking offending her. There were (usually) no hard feelings if things didn’t work out. And anyone could be upfront about what exactly they were looking for, whether serious or otherwise.
As with most things on the internet, shit has just gotten worse and worse over time. The hallowed era of Pets.com has corroded into a cesspool of misinformation, porn and Slickster Magazine. Now you might be labelled a serial abuser if you text something rude to a stranger. Your private convos or photos can be posted on social media for everyone to see. You might even get your identity stolen by some scammer.
It’s maybe not that surprising when you match with a girl who turns out way less hot than her profile pic indicates. But now you got a whole new slew of things to worry about. What if the girl you’re meeting isn’t actually a girl? It might turn out to be some organ trafficker who’s planning to chloroform your ass and steal your kidney.
If you’re still in the online dating game, it’s important to know what to look out for in order to protect yourself. These are our five tips to stay safe among the dangers of online dating.
1. Let a buddy know where you’re going and who you’re meeting
Women have been using this technique for years, and for good reason. Studies have shown that sexual predators can easily create fake profiles and lure victims into unsafe situations. This shit can happen to guys too.
You never really know who you’re going to encounter when you agree to meet someone in person, so it’s always a good idea to let one of your bros know what’s going on just in case something goes wrong.
2. Beware of catfishing
Catfishing is when someone creates a fake identity on social media and uses it to scam another person. Usually it’s for money. Good rule of thumb: if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If a girl’s profile pic makes her look like a professional supermodel, it’s probably a scam. Likewise if she claims to be a rocket scientist, a brain surgeon, or a porn star.
And this should be obvious, but if she’s asking for money, it’s a scam. Don’t give out any personal or financial info before meeting someone in person. Even then, proceed with caution.
3. Don’t send dick pics
If you got a girlfriend you trust who asks for a picture of your dick, then hey, go ahead. But if you’re sending unsolicited pics of your dick to strangers online, you better not be surprised when that shit gets shared somewhere else on social media. You’re putting your reputation in danger, and you’re just being, well, a dick.
Even if she’s asked for a pic, and shared some of her own pics, you should always proceed with caution when a stranger is asking you for something as intimate as a picture of your junk. Unless you’ve met this person IRL and have formed some sort of relationship with them, you still don’t know who they really are, or where your dick pic will ultimately end up.
4. Be polite
One way to avoid getting your life put on social media blast is behaving like a decent person. Don’t call someone a slut, threaten anyone, or in general make a nuisance of yourself, especially when there’s a permanent digital record of your behavior. This sort of thing can come back to bite you in the ass years after the fact, so just try to act nice.
This doesn’t mean you need to be a fake nice guy, or in any way not be yourself. It just means you should treat strangers with the same sort of respect you’d expect from them.
5. As always, use protection
A lot of online dating is about hooking up. It’s okay to swipe right on absolutely anything you see, but you may not want to put your dick inside every chick you end up meeting in real life. You should know this already, but don’t sleep with anyone who seems fucked up or nuts. And if you think sex is in any way in the cards, be sure to have some condoms on you.
It’s a treacherous scene out there, but if you’re diligent, you’ll be okay. Whether you’re just looking to get your dick wet or you’re starting to think seriously about finding someone special, be aware of what you’re doing and what’s being asked of you.
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